January 09, 2009

There's an email doing the rounds that seems to have unsettled the resident Christian zionist at the Times newspaper. It is issued in the name of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and goes like this:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Board of Deputies of British Jews Cancels Sunday's Solidarity RallyThe Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, in consultation with a coalition of prominent organisations in the Anglo-Jewish community, have decided to cancel the planned Israel Solidarity Rally, due to occur on Sunday 11th of January.

This decision has been taken after intense discussions within the community, due to a feeling that such a demonstration would not be in accordance with the Board's wish to bring the conflict to an immediate conclusion. It was thought that the demonstration might be perceived as the community taking one side in the tragic war in Gaza and Israel, and might be seen as supporting Israel's military campaign.

The Board calls for an immediate ceasefire, immediate negotiations between Israel and Hamas, and for lifting the economic blockade of Gaza, in order to allow the Gazan and Israeli people to live together in peace. There is no military solution, only a political one.

The Jewish community does not wish to be seen as a participant in the conflict, and in taking this stand we hope to be a part of the solution. The Board stands in solidarity with the besieged and injured people of Gaza, as well as the victims of terrorism in Israel, and we oppose all violence as contrary to the tenets of the Jewish religion. We would like to reach out to the British Muslim community, as well as those of no religion who have demonstrated against Israel's military campaign-we share your anguish at the destruction and loss of life caused, and hope that our action in calling off our demonstration will be a small step towards peace.

Board of Deputies of British Jews and The Jewish Leadership Council

For all enquiries contact:

The Board of Deputies of British Jews

6 Bloomsbury Square

London WC1A 2LP

Tel: +44 (0)20 7543 5400

Fax: +44 (0)20 7543 0010

Now I was just about to post and link to the Times article clearly fretting that the Jewish establishment's consensus was cracking but they've done an Engage and disappeared the article altogether. A close friend has told me that he has a screen grab so watch this space.....

While we wait check out what the url for the original article is saying now. The original article was headed something like Is British Jewry's support for Israel wavering? Now the headline is More depressing news from Gaza. But look at the url. After what you might expect, you know the http and the timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill, (for it is she) followed by the date, there follows just a little foretaste of what the original article was headed "is-british-jewr.html". I suppose they'll disappear the whole page next.